We all have one, but do you know what it’s for?
It’s a little butterfly shaped endocrine (ie hormone) gland that sits in your throat & has a big job. This small but mighty organ produces thyroid hormone, regulates body temperature, metabolism, heart rate and other vital functions in the body. It’s imperative that we keep it in tip top shape.
There’s a reason so many people are focusing heavily on the thyroid as of late. Environmental factors, endocrine disruptors found in a variety of items such as plastic & food (which mimic hormones and eff your body up) and stress contribute to an under or over performing thyroid. Either way, if it’s not functioning properly, your world will be rocked in a major way.
Let’s go back to inflammation, gut health, hormone imbalance and spleen qi deficiency which can be the result of stress. This stress may contribute to and exacerbate thyroid disorders. When we stress the eff out, we release the hormone cortisol, which is produced by our adrenal glands (they sit on top of the kidneys). With chronic stress, we continuously release cortisol, which makes the thyroid work harder to produce thyroid hormone.
Are you feeling fatigue that won’t go away? Depressed or anxious all the time? Weight gain even with a good diet and exercise? Dry skin and hair, hair loss, heavy or irregular periods? These symptoms can point to a hypothyroid situation, which means it’s slow.
A fast thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, causes processes in the body to speed up. Symptoms may look like heart palpitations, anxiety and nervousness, weight loss, heat intolerance, muscle weakness, trouble sleeping and light or skipped periods.
Neither sounds fun.
I strongly encourage comprehensive blood work through a functional or naturopathic doc. A lot of labs for thyroid come back a-ok because the tests only look at the thyroid through one lens. Make sure to ask for Free T3 and Free T4 tests.
Moral of the story, stress, if not managed properly can wreak serious havoc on the body. As with most things, diet and lifestyle changes can greatly help thyroid health.
Questions, comments, concerns?
Shana Robinson 